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Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Woody species removal at W. Pearl King Prairie Savanna 10:00 am – 3:00 pm David Brown Road, Mechanicsburg (Madison County) W. Pearl King Prairie Savanna is one of the best remaining oak savannas in the historical Darby Plains. The 20-acre preserve in southwestern Madison County is owned and managed by Columbus & Franklin |
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County Metro Parks; it was dedicated as a state nature preserve in 2020. It contains scattered old-growth burn oak, post oak, and white oaks with a suite of prairie wildflowers.
We will be working on woody species in the understory of the savanna.
Directions: W. Pearl King Prairie Savanna is on the southwest corner of a three-way intersection of David Brown Road, Mechanicsburg-Sanford Road and Becker Road. There is a historical marker near the intersection.
What to Bring: Bring lunch, water, hiking boots, and gloves. Herbicide treatment will be done by trained volunteers and Metro Parks staff.
RSVP: If you would like to attend, please REGISTER. If you have questions, please contact The Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association HERE. Online registration is important for our planning.
We will be working on woody species in the understory of the savanna.
Directions: W. Pearl King Prairie Savanna is on the southwest corner of a three-way intersection of David Brown Road, Mechanicsburg-Sanford Road and Becker Road. There is a historical marker near the intersection.
What to Bring: Bring lunch, water, hiking boots, and gloves. Herbicide treatment will be done by trained volunteers and Metro Parks staff.
RSVP: If you would like to attend, please REGISTER. If you have questions, please contact The Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association HERE. Online registration is important for our planning.
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Woody species removal at North Kingsville Sand Barrens State Nature Preserve
Woody species removal at North Kingsville Sand Barrens State Nature Preserve
Lupine - Photo by Guy Denny
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11:00 am – 3:30 pm
Poore Road, Conneaut (Ashtabula County) The North Kingsville Sand Barrens protects the only high-quality fossil dune ridge that has been preserved in Northeast Ohio. Nearly a mile long, about 300 feet wide, and 30 feet deep, the sand ridge is a remnant of an older lake shoreline that predates Lake Erie. The 182-acre preserve supports several endangered plants, the best Ohio population of Southern pygmy clubtail, a fine population of native wild lupine, one of three sites in Ohio for the State endangered bead lily, and the endangered moss - bug-on-a-stick. |
We will be connecting two existing barrens by clearing out an area overgrown with bush honeysuckle and grapevine. This material will be stacked in piles and burned at a later date.
Directions: This is Cleveland Museum of Natural History site; directions will be sent upon registration.
What to Bring: Bring lunch, water, hiking boots, and gloves. Herbicide treatment will be done by trained ONAPA stewardship assistants.
RSVP: If you would like to attend, please REGISTER. If you have questions, please contact The Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association HERE. Online registration is important for our planning.
Directions: This is Cleveland Museum of Natural History site; directions will be sent upon registration.
What to Bring: Bring lunch, water, hiking boots, and gloves. Herbicide treatment will be done by trained ONAPA stewardship assistants.
RSVP: If you would like to attend, please REGISTER. If you have questions, please contact The Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association HERE. Online registration is important for our planning.
ONAPA 2026 STEWARDSHIP ASSISTANT - Apply before April 1 for this position
View "A Summer of Stewardship"
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ONAPA is looking for 1-3 new stewardship assistants this year. We are offering 3-6 month part-time contract positions designed to assist ONAPA with stewardship activities including habitat management on nature preserves, preserve monitoring (status review of preserves), rare plant monitoring with the Division of Natural Areas & Preserves (DNAP) and the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), and other administrative duties such as database management and social media. Specific activities will be assigned weekly/monthly by Vice-President, Jennifer Windus. These activities will provide an individual recently graduated from college, college student, or graduate student, with excellent field experience, training, and good contacts for future full-time employment in the natural resources/environmental science field.
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Canvasback ducks may become concentrated in late February
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Canvasbacks in flight with a few Redheads;
trio of Canvasbacks.
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Photos and story by John Watts
As of this writing, it is being reported that Lake Erie is approximately 95% frozen as a result of the past few weeks of sub-freezing temperatures. The latter half of February is typically a very good time to visit the western basin of Lake Erie to observe the staging of diving ducks prior to their very early spring departure. I will never forget my first trip to this area in late February of 1986 with Jim Stahl. As we crossed the Sandusky Bay bridge, openings of ice-free water held concentrations of ducks that gave the illusion of one being able to walk across them from frozen area to frozen area. Species consisted of Greater and Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneyes, Ring-necked Ducks, Redhead Ducks and, of course, Canvasbacks.
Canvasbacks are striking. They are one of Ohio’s most attractive species of waterfowl, A large duck with a dark reddish-brown head, steep-shaped forehead and bill, black chest, and bright white back, this species stands out in large concentrations. Sandusky Bay is long known for its winter concentrations of this species. Milt Trautman wrote that during the 1920’s and 1930’s estimates would range from 30,000 to 60,000 birds. He notes, “On one occasion east of Canvasback Point we saw a feeding flock which extended bayward from the Winous Point Marsh. This flock covered approximately a square mile of water.”
Last year I traveled to the Marblehead Peninsula chasing a reported Barrow’s Goldeneye. While I missed it by a couple days (ice reformed and likely moved it further out onto the lake), I did get to observe a concentrated area of Canvasbacks. While other species were scatted in the group, Canvasbacks made up the majority of the thousands of ducks isolated in the only remaining opening of water. Though it was cold, it was a beautiful winter day with absolutely perfect light to view and photograph waterfowl. Birds came and went the entire time I was present. With the sun lighting up their contrasting colored bodies as they flew back and forth on winter’s blue sky, a nearly perfect setting was created for viewing and photographing. So, grab your binoculars and scopes and bundle up and take a day to enjoy late winter’s concentrations of Canvasbacks and more.
Reference:
Trautman, Milton B., with Mary A. Trautman, and Ronald L. Stuckey, editor, 2006. Birds of Western Lake Erie: Documented Observations and Notes 1850-1980. RLS Creations, Columbus Ohio, xxii, pp. 58-59.
As of this writing, it is being reported that Lake Erie is approximately 95% frozen as a result of the past few weeks of sub-freezing temperatures. The latter half of February is typically a very good time to visit the western basin of Lake Erie to observe the staging of diving ducks prior to their very early spring departure. I will never forget my first trip to this area in late February of 1986 with Jim Stahl. As we crossed the Sandusky Bay bridge, openings of ice-free water held concentrations of ducks that gave the illusion of one being able to walk across them from frozen area to frozen area. Species consisted of Greater and Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneyes, Ring-necked Ducks, Redhead Ducks and, of course, Canvasbacks.
Canvasbacks are striking. They are one of Ohio’s most attractive species of waterfowl, A large duck with a dark reddish-brown head, steep-shaped forehead and bill, black chest, and bright white back, this species stands out in large concentrations. Sandusky Bay is long known for its winter concentrations of this species. Milt Trautman wrote that during the 1920’s and 1930’s estimates would range from 30,000 to 60,000 birds. He notes, “On one occasion east of Canvasback Point we saw a feeding flock which extended bayward from the Winous Point Marsh. This flock covered approximately a square mile of water.”
Last year I traveled to the Marblehead Peninsula chasing a reported Barrow’s Goldeneye. While I missed it by a couple days (ice reformed and likely moved it further out onto the lake), I did get to observe a concentrated area of Canvasbacks. While other species were scatted in the group, Canvasbacks made up the majority of the thousands of ducks isolated in the only remaining opening of water. Though it was cold, it was a beautiful winter day with absolutely perfect light to view and photograph waterfowl. Birds came and went the entire time I was present. With the sun lighting up their contrasting colored bodies as they flew back and forth on winter’s blue sky, a nearly perfect setting was created for viewing and photographing. So, grab your binoculars and scopes and bundle up and take a day to enjoy late winter’s concentrations of Canvasbacks and more.
Reference:
Trautman, Milton B., with Mary A. Trautman, and Ronald L. Stuckey, editor, 2006. Birds of Western Lake Erie: Documented Observations and Notes 1850-1980. RLS Creations, Columbus Ohio, xxii, pp. 58-59.
Canvasbacks in open water hole.
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Register for February 20 OIPC Annual Meeting
OIPC will hold its Annual Meeting at Alley Park in Lancaster on Friday, February 20. Dr. Sarah Emery, Bowling Green State University, will present "Wind, Waves, and Weeds: Plant Invasions in Great Lakes Coastal Dunes." This year's meeting features eight speakers, including four Rapid Updates related to invasive plant management. It is an excellent venue to meet other people managing and studying invasive plants.
DOWNLOAD the day's agenda. REGISTER VIA EVENTBRITE. Cost is $40. |
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Plant science scholarships open to second-year undergraduate students - deadline is February 28 |
The Western Reserve Herb Society offers Plant Science scholarships. These are open to students who have completed the second/sophomore year of undergraduate study and are enrolled in a bachelor’s degree. The applicants for these scholarships must be attending an accredited college or university and have achieved a grade point average of 3.2 or above.
The Western Reserve Herb Society Scholarship covers all accredited colleges and universities in the United States. There will be two (2) awards of $4,000 each.
The Frances Sylvia Zverina Scholarship is restricted to students studying at an accredited institution within the state of Ohio. All Ohio candidates are also automatically considered for the National Scholarship. There will be two (2) awards of $4,500 each.
Preference is given to applicants who demonstrate course work in rigorous sciences, exceptional dedication through outside experiences, and whose career goals may involve work in areas such as the public or nonprofit sector, education, sustainability, and research.
Students studying at a college or university in the state of Ohio are automatically considered for both the National AND the Ohio Scholarship.
Visit the Western Reserve Herb Society for more information and to apply - deadline is February 28.
The Western Reserve Herb Society Scholarship covers all accredited colleges and universities in the United States. There will be two (2) awards of $4,000 each.
The Frances Sylvia Zverina Scholarship is restricted to students studying at an accredited institution within the state of Ohio. All Ohio candidates are also automatically considered for the National Scholarship. There will be two (2) awards of $4,500 each.
Preference is given to applicants who demonstrate course work in rigorous sciences, exceptional dedication through outside experiences, and whose career goals may involve work in areas such as the public or nonprofit sector, education, sustainability, and research.
Students studying at a college or university in the state of Ohio are automatically considered for both the National AND the Ohio Scholarship.
Visit the Western Reserve Herb Society for more information and to apply - deadline is February 28.
Killbuck Marsh stewardship
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Tackling woody invasives at Resthaven
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December a productive month in the field
As we wind down the year, the ONAPA stewardship crew had four more projects in December: Clifton Gorge on the 9th, Resthaven Wildlife Area December 11, Daughmer Savanna December 16, and Honey Run Highlands Park December 18. These were all productive projects, removing and treating invading woody species. We worked on bush honeysuckle along the lower trail at Clifton Gorge. At Resthaven WA, we opened a small remnant prairie on Oxbow Road. At Daughmer Savanna, we continued to work on woodies in the understory, and cleaned up some downed trees and large branches. Columbus Metro Parks staff and volunteers helped that day and we had a super group of 21 people. We helped Knox County Park District staff at Honey Run Highlands to remove large autumn-olives in a grassland unit, in preparation for a spring burn. |
Randy Haar handles the chainsaw at Resthaven
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October a slower month for stewardship projects
October was a slower month for the ONAPA stewardship crew. We had two project cancellations and four days specifically for the stewardship assistants. We held projects with volunteers at Cranberry Bog (Oct 16), Brinkhaven Barrens (Oct 18), Meilke Road Savanna Wildlife Area (Oct 21), and Lakeside Daisy Preserve (Oct 23). These all involved woody species removal and cut stem treatment. Other projects and events with the stewardship assistants included a Lakeside daisy transplant, an Ohio Invasive Plants Council workshop, and prescribed fire manager training. 
Brinkhaven Barrens
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Meilke Road Wildlife Area
Lakeside Daisy SNP
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Cranberry Bog
Cranberry Bog
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September projects all a "go" in warm and dry September
In spite of another dry and warm month, September was pretty busy for the ONAPA stewardship team. We had projects at Gallagher Fen, Greenbelt Preserve (Great Parks), Wengerd Woods (Cleveland Museum of Natural History), Cranberry Bog, and Kitty Todd Preserve (The Nature Conservancy). For all these projects, we were working on woody species control for species such as bush honeysuckles, privet, and glossy buckthorn. 
Wengerd Woods
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Attendees at ONAPA 12th Annual Meeting August 23 enjoy great weather at Alley Park
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ONAPA held its 12th Annual Meeting on Saturday, August 23 at the Gosling Nature Center at Alley Park in Lancaster. Two guest speakers, Andrew Lane Gibson from the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves and Heather Stehle from Crane Hollow, Inc., shared their experience, often with a side of humor. Andrew took the audience on a trip around Lake Superior, highlighting the orchids of the region’s many habitats. Heather shared the legacy of Crane Hollow Preserve.
Guy Denny and Jennifer Windus also gave updates about ONAPA activities in the past year. It was a good turnout with 72 people attending. Two vendors selling nature-related items were available for attendees -- Savannah Freeman with Moonville Print Shop and Nora Steele. It was a beautiful day, perfect for the four field trips in the afternoon -- Crane Hollow, led by Heather Stehle and Jennifer Windus, Wahkeena Preserve, led by Tom Shisler, Rock House in Hocking Hills State Park, led by Tim Snyder, and a short hike around Alley Park, led by Dick Moseley. |
Volunteer Stewardship
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Member Activities
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Stewardship
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JOINHelp us help Ohio's natural areas and preserves by becoming a member today by using PayPal!
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DONATEONAPA is a 501(C)3 Ohio, volunteer run organization. Your donations are fully tax-deductible. Donate today using PayPal.
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VOLUNTEERWe have many volunteer opportunities available throughout the year. Invasive control, preserve monitoring, etc.
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